This is what baseball is all about

Today (weather permitting), the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to play a game with pennant implications against a division rival in July. This hasn't happened since 1997. Take one second today to breathe all this in and enjoy: games like these, weeks like the two weeks the Pirates have coming up, this is what we watch baseball for. This is what we've sat through blowouts and cold April weather and Dave Littlefield Jim Tracy and John Russell and Tike Redman and Franquellis Osoria and Matt Morris for. This is what we Pirate fans have hoped for when everyone told us we'd never have it again. So take just one second and enjoy important baseball for the sake of important baseball. Good. Now that that one second is over, pull on your Pirate cap, put on your McCutchen t-shirt, and buckle the f[hell]k up. The Pirates have 13 games in the next 14 days against some of the best teams in the National League. Against teams they have to beat to make the playoffs. This week, they play th...